


Countdown

by siirvm



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Hybrid!Ten, Hybrid!winwin, M/M, Sweet Mark Lee (NCT), clingy mark lee, hybrid!chenle, hybrid!doyoung, hybrid!haechan, hybrid!jaemin, hybrid!jungwoo, hybrid!taeil, hybrid!taeyong, needy mark lee, tsundere haechan
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-07
Updated: 2018-11-17
Packaged: 2019-07-06 11:06:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Underage
Chapters: 6
Words: 4,216
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15884784
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/siirvm/pseuds/siirvm
Summary: Every human has a hybrid soulmate, which is revealed to them when the timer embedded into their wrist reaches zero. Mark is panicking because he has 24 hours until he meets his soulmate, which is also when sophomore year starts. All his friends already have their hybrid soulmate, making Mark the odd one out. Until he bumps into a special someone...





	1. -1440

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by that life-scarring lewd BTS Jimin cow hybrid tweet. (Milk play?) wink wonk jaehyun? and also my friend Sophia helped me get some ideas. Yes, the one from Markphia. Ok so some background info: this is world where humans are always matched with a hybrid soulmate, which also means that humanxhuman or hybridxhybrid dating is not gonna happen. And once you meet your soulmate, the timer glows blue and disappears gradually.

It was 8:00 PM. With unsteady breaths, Mark stared at his timer in his wrist. Its countdown went from four years to twenty-four hours. That meant he was going to see his soulmate tomorrow, on the first day of his second year of high school. All of his friends already have their partners, except Mark, who felt like a lonely twat for the first whole year of school and assumed that he was going to have to roam the halls as a seventh wheel with all his friends and their hybrid boyfriends for the next three years. Mark considered calling his best friends Johnny, Taeyong, and his human boyfriend Jaehyun to tell them about the change in his timer, but didn't after he thought about how they would probably embarrass him with random fact bombs about his middle school life in front of his soulmate. Stunned, Mark went to take a long, hot shower to get himself prepared for what he will be facing tomorrow. Setting his alarm at 6:00 AM, he fell asleep immediately.

Mark woke up to a hazy sunrise and a "shawty give me, whip, whiplash" playing on his phone. He groaned and realized what time it was and what was going to happen in two hours, his morning blindness immediately went away and got up with a start. Brushing his teeth vigorously and putting on enough makeup for himself to look good, but not too much that it was noticable, his heart quickened with excitement and nervousness. Refusing to waste time eating breakfast at home, he picked up a sandwich from the deli and walked to school with an outfit that consisted of black ripped jeans, leather jacket hoodie, and a red shirt with Vans.

"-and then I said to him, 'Be there or be square!'" Johnny cackled. Mark, hearing this from across the street, rolled his eyes and proceeded to playfully slap him on the shoulder. Johnny turned around with wide eyes and a big hug. "Mark! It's been so long since I've seen you!" he cried. 

"We literally hung out last week, my dude." Mark replied. He turned around and said hello to his other friends and hybrids. He stopped to look at the timer which already had only thirty minutes left. He looked left and right, eager to find out who his future soulmate was, but was instead not faced with another who was trying to do the same thing, but ended up searching through a crowd of dog, cat, fox, bunny, bear, and any kind of hybrid you can imagine, all being either lovey dovey with their significant other or staring at their phone alone. 

Mark felt someone staring at him and turned out it was Taeyong, the cat hybrid. "IS THAT A TIMER KITTYYONG SEES?" he squealed. Everyone else stopped talking and turned their attention to Mark. Jaehyun gasped and walked over and yeeted Mark's sleeve up, wrist visible. 

"Hey, what the hell happened? Last time I checked, you were going to be single until college!" he exclaimed. 

"Yeah, well, I checked last night and it went from four years to twenty-four hours, happy?" Mark mumbled out of embarrassment. "It's nothing to be embarrassed about, Mark." his friend Taeil, the owl hybrid said. Suddenly, a faint beeping could be heard coming from Mark's wrist. He looked down and the numbers were in red, counting down from 30 seconds. "Sorry, I gotta go," he said, and pushed his way through the crowd and away from his buddies. He desperately searched with only ten seconds left. Unanticipatedly, he felt a sharp pain in his right shoulder, losing his balance. "Hey, watch where you're goi-," Mark started, but abruptly stopped when spotted the other's wrist. 

Glowing blue. 

Just like Mark's. 

He looked up, and knew he had found his heaven and hell on Earth.


	2. 1440

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Haechan is like water. The softest thing on Earth, but can change even the strongest of things.

A grizzly that just caught some fresh salmon. Happiness and relief. That's how Mark felt like when he looked at the beautiful, fluffy, and cute bear hybrid that were sending him death glares while rubbing his sore shoulder.

"Hey, are you o-," Mark reached for this beautiful specimen's hand but was swatted away like some housefly. 

"Why don't YOU watch where you're going, mister? I can't believe I'm soulmates with this klutz." the bear hybrid said.

He got up, sassily whipped his head around, quivered his little tail, and stalked away. Any previous happiness and excitment had vanished from Mark's adolescent heart and turned into a beaten up mess. But one can never stray too far from their soulmate.

By the time it was lunch, Mark had learned the cub's name and what his reputation is like. He was known as the school's flower, possessing a face like an angel's, but turns out the little rose had thorns. 

Underneath the facade there was a briar patch waiting to cut up some poor person's heart with a rejected confession. He kept to himself most of the time, but the lingering crowd of needy girls were unavoidable.

…

The next day, determined to make Haechan fall for him, he prepared a homemade lunch beforehand with a cheesy "I ♡ YOU" on top of rice made out of peas. He labeled it  _To. Haechan, From. Your Soulmate,_ and placed it on the table that Haechan usually sat at. He waited until he walked in, eager to see his reaction and win him over.

The school's rose walked in with a handful of freshman girls tailing him, but left when he got to his table. Suddenly realizing there was a mystery lunch box in front of him, he picked up the label card and narrowed his eyes towards Mark. Mark smiled and waved back while blowing a kiss, succeeding to make the other blush and cute button nose scrunch up in embarrassment. He sat down and reluctantly started eating the lunchbox, which Mark assumed that he eventually accepted because he couldn't resist his charms. The thought made his heart skip a beat and turn himself back into a bashful little boy.

…

"Hey, uh, thanks for... the gift today, uh, it was really sweet," Haechan said while blushing in the parking lot. Maybe it was because of the soulmate hormones, but if it was a gift from one of his female admirers, he would’ve just thrown it away, and never would have thanked them either. Mark reached for his hand in thanks, but instead got a jolting spark between them. It hurt at first but slowly transformed into something more pleasant. Haechan let out a bearish growl on instinct but dissipated into a harmless laugh.

“Haha, it must be the side effects of this soulmate stuff,” Mark commented. Haechan agreed, and was probably the reason why he felt way more attracted to him than he did this morning. 

"So, um, I also wanted to ask you if...if..,” Mark throat suddenly went dry and a cold sweat started forming on his palms. Mark usually never got nervous and right now he wanted to reverse time so wouldn’t have to embarrass himself. 

“Spit it out already,” Haechan said impatiently. 

”I was wondering if you would like to go on a d-date with me.” Mark mentally facepalmed himself for stuttering and bit his lip as he looked up with anticipation. 

That was not what Haechan was expecting. He stood there, a small smile forming and a significant amount of color added to his cheeks. His furry ears flattened in embarrassment as he replied, “Yeah, sure, that sounds nice.” His voice became raspy at the end and even more color was added to his face, if that was even possible. 

"I'll see you later tonight," Mark cooed and ruffled his fluffy hair. Haechan's ears twitched in happiness and squeaked out a childish giggle.

...

He waited outside of Haechan's house, a bouquet of roses in his hand. The door opened and stepping out was whole other beauty of its own. Mark could tell that he dressed up a bit for this date, and god, did he look amazing.

Looking adorable in a baby blue over sized sweater, he waddled down the veranda stairs. He crossed his arms and said, "Don't think I dressed up all nice for you, I only did this because I literally have nothing else to do and I don't want to pay," then snatched the bouquet out of his hands just like his heart. Mark was too whipped for Haechan for him to be offended and proceeded to follow him to his car.

"So where are we going, loser?" Haechan asked, not looking up from his phone. Mark replied, "I was thinking about going to the carnival that just opened up in 0 Mile Park.” The word “carnival” caught Haechan’s ears and finally made him look up from his phone. He beamed and agreed with him that the carnival sounded nice. 

After 10 minutes of silence, Mark drove into the parking space with one hand, the hybrid next to him secretly thinking that that was extremely hot and prayed that the darkness outside would hide his growing blush. They both got out and Haechan slowly put his hand in the other without saying a word. Mark looked at their interlocked hands and then back at the other's indifferent face. He chuckled and grinned as he held tighter and snuggled closer.

"See, I knew you would fall for me." Mark sniggered. Haechan gave him the side eye and slowly pushed his head off his shoulder, but didn't let go of his hand. "I only did this so you can feel better about yourself," he retorted.

They went to ride the scariest flume ride there, even though Haechan whined and begged for them to start off with something less extreme, like the balloon pop. Mark enjoyed seeing him not so commanding for once, and wanted to keep it that way so Haechan would bury his face into his neck at the drop. 

After five stomach-dropping rides and a scared Haechan later, they eventually went to get some cotton candy (Mark paid). 

Haechan stared with a drooling mouth and wide eyes as the staff swirled the cone around and around. Mark observed and found himself reaching towards him and ruffling his fluffy hair. Haechan flinched, and almost smiled but forced out an unbothered expression as he exited his cotton candy utopia and took the sweet flavored cloud from the worker. 

They found a park bench to sit at as Haechan nibbled on the wispy candy floss while Mark thought that he shouldn’t let this night go to waste. He leaned in, first licking the other side of the cotton candy, then biting it. Haechan didn’t notice this until there was only a wisp of candy left and they were only a hair away from each other's face. He froze and looked up. 

A few pounding heart beats later and Mark took the other’s free hand and made the final move.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for the people who have enjoyed this story and to all the kudos and hits it has gotten! I sincerely didn't expect for it to have such a good response, for I created it on a whim at a sleepover. And also thanks to all the people who bothered to read the author's note on the first chapter, since it was some background information about how the world works in this au. Chapter 3 will be up very soon!


	3. 2880

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What happens when you have a jealous bear cub?

Haechan felt Mark’s lips against his plush ones. His whole body froze, but then relaxed as he kissed right back. Mark’s hand slowly inched towards Haechan’s waist as Haechan wrapped his arms around Mark’s neck.

"Did I ever say that you're beautiful?" Mark asked between a kiss. Haechan pulled away and sighed. "Shut up," he said, and went back into his embrace.

…

"Today class, we have will have a new student joining us," said their teacher, Mr. Lee Soo Man. A small, petite looking boy entered through the door and smiled brightly at the ocean of students.

"Hello, my name is Renjun, I'm a leopard hybrid and I hope we can become good friends!" Renjun scanned the crowd and his gaze landed on Mark as the rest of the students clapped politely.

"Just choose any seat you'd like for now. I will make any seat arrangements if there is a problem." Renjun immediately sauntered toward where Mark was sitting. Haechan has a seat right next to him, so he kept his guard up as Renjun walked over.

"Hey cutie, mind if I sit here?" Haechan's jaw dropped and Mark stammered out a, "Y-yeah, sure." Haechan shot death glares at both of them, Mark, for accepting such a question, and Renjun, for asking that question. As if Haechan wasn't there, Renjun squeezed in between the pair and sat his butt down in his seat, causing the latter to stumble out. 

"Fine, have it your way, hoes." he spat as he stormed off to another deserted desk.

The whole day, Renjun stuck to Mark like glue and it made Haechan want to curse him to the depths of hell. He felt another surge of anger coming up from his stomach and realized he had accidentally snapped his pencil in half. It’s the first time he’d ever been so jealous and he couldn’t seem to control his emotions. Renjun’s hand creeped up Mark’s back and around his arm, but of course, Mark being the oblivious idiot that he is, didn’t notice, but that was the final straw for Haechan. He slammed his hand on the table, shocking everyone in the room, and asked between gritted teeth, “May I use the restroom?”

The teacher gave him permission and Haechan left the classroom while slamming the door shut. He didn’t notice Mark staring after him with a worried expression on his face.

Haechan splashed some cold water onto his face while gripping the sides of the sink. He looked up and into his reflection. “What does he have that I don’t?” he asked himself. _Did that kiss mean nothing to him? Was this all just a set up to embarass me? What if he’s not really my soulmate?_ So many horrible thoughts seeped into his brain.

”This is why I fucking keep to myself,” he grumbled. He walked out of the bathroom and turned left, only to find Renjun chatting with Mark. He kept silent until Mark said that he had to leave for band practice. Renjun waved goodbye with a gag-worthy smile on his face as Haechan crept up towards him. 

Renjun’s smile went away as Haechan approached him as he tilted his head and crossed his arms. “Who do you think you are trying to flirt with Mark like that?” he asked. Renjun, for a split second looked shocked, but melted back into his cool composure. 

“Oh, I’m sorry, were you dating him? Is he even your boyfriend? Because the way he didn’t even mention you while we were talking or say anything when you fell out of your seat sends a clear signal that he’s not yours.” Haechan was speechless, and scoffed. 

”He’s not yours either, and just remember one thing, bitch,” He took a step closer to him.

“Keep. Your. Disgusting. Claws. Off. Of. My. Man.” he enunciated each word with a harsh jab towards Renjun’s chest with an accusing finger. He stumbled back each time so Haechan advanced each time. He turned around, furious and satisfied with making Renjun know that Mark’s his. What he didn’t know, was that Mark had never left for band practice.


	4. 4320

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Haechan finally has Mark all to himself.

Mark watched Haechan walk away with a racing heart, partly from happiness and the other from shock.  _Could the reason behind his outrage be because he may actually like me?_ he wondered. Well, you couldn't mistake that 'get of off my man' line.

Renjun whipped his body away harshly and stormed towards the opposite way that Haechan went, and spotted Mark hiding behind a wall. He was about to say something but Renjun pushed him away hard.

"You're dating a freak, you know that, right?" He gave him a final glance and continued walking down the hall, however didn't get that far due to the fact that he heard a faint beeping sound and then the school's star basketball player Jaemin came running in from a different corridor into Renjun. Suddenly, glowing blue haze illuminated the two, and Mark guessed that he should exit the scene before things got too personal.

...

The next day, as soon as Mark sat in his seat, Haechan aggressively squished his face onto Mark’s shoulder while wrapping their arms together. At that moment Renjun entered, and Haechan glared through his eyelashes and flashed a devilish smirk. Renjun scoffed, and took a seat next to Jeno. Haechan observed the two and noticed that Jeno couldn't take his eyes off of the hybrid sitting next to him. Haechan leaned towards Mark and asked, "Do you think those guys could be soulmates?"

Mark shrugged, wanting to keep his eavesdropping a secret. Haechan tilted his head back down again as he let Mark fondle his soft ears. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry that this chapter is hella short and took a bit while to update. I was having a writer's block and tons of school work and clubs... Next chapter will be up very soon and will be a Noren side story!


	5. Noren Side Story

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Renjun finds his soulmate right when he tries to steal Mark from Haechan.
> 
> Or
> 
> Jeno x Renjun

Renjun walked away from Haechan and an encounter with Mark with steam coming out from his ears. 

_Who was he to stop me from getting to Mark?_

He continued walking until he was about to pass by a classroom when he heard a person saying, "I need to pee!" The door slammed open and a boy a head taller than Renjun came bolting out and crashing into him. They both fell to the ground. 

"Eep!" squeaked Renjun, as he felt a shock run through his body and a rush of affection but that quickly died down when he realized that his soulmate was Jeno, the school's star basketball player and fuckboy. A blue glow emitted from both of their wrists and reflected off of their faces.

Renjun sat on the floor, shocked stiff, as he heard the faint footsteps which he guessed must be Mark. Renjun looked at the boy in front of him. He looked attractive enough until he opened his mouth.

”Oh my god, I’m so sorry, are you okay?”

Renjun rubbed his head annoyed while giving him the stink eye. He was about to say something when Jeno cut him off.

”But how come I never noticed you? You’re adorable.” said Jeno while standing up. Renjun felt his face become warm and his stomach feel funny but blamed it on the stupid soulmate chemicals because how could a fuckboy like him fall in love with a lowly hybrid?

Jeno extended a hand to help him stand up, but Renjun ignored it and said, “If you think that I’m going to fall for your tricks just because you want someone to sleep with, you’re dead wrong.”

”I wasn’t going to—,” he started.

”Just please leave me alone. And don’t think that the fact we’re soulmates is going to make me like you.” Renjun’s spotted ears flattened against his hair and eyes turned a bright shade of yellow. A fang poked at his plush bottom lip and Jeno couldn’t help but feel slightly turned on. He also felt quite shocked because that’s the first time someone has ever turned him down so harshly, and it hurt even more since it was coming from his soulmate, a feeling so foreign to Jeno.

The rest of the day Jeno couldn't keep his thoughts of a particular leopard hybrid out of his head.

...

The next day Jeno was in class doing absolutely nothing except squinting at Mark coo over Haechan as entertainment. He rested his elbow on the table and pressed his palm on his cheek until it hurt.

The creak of the door sounded, and Jeno snapped his head up. His back suddenly straightened and released an attentiveness that was never present during lectures.

Just looking at him gave him a breath of fresh air. It was crazy to think that someone could fall in love at first sight, but that's exactly how Jeno felt.

Renjun scoffed at something, but Jeno could care less about what was happening. Renjun was the only thing in the world right now. 

Jeno was thrilled when he sat next to him. His scent was intoxicating and wanted nothing more than bathe in it so all his clothes would smell of nothing except Renjun.

He felt himself leaning closer and closer to the hybrid next to him. The apples of Renjun’s cheeks were dusted with a light pink due to the close proximity. He willed himself to back away in case people looked at them weird but found that he couldn’t. He snuck a glance but ducked his head back down with a slight grin when they locked eyes.

Their pinkies were inching closer with every second that passed. They were a molecule away from interlocking hands when—

“Jeno? Who’s this,” he sniffed his nose into the air like some snobby aristocrat, “sad excuse of a hybrid?”

”Jaemin?”


	6. 8640

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mark accompanies Haechan on a cold snowy night.
> 
>  
> 
> or
> 
>  
> 
> Markhyuck Christmas fluff

Mark and Haechan clinged onto each other like glue ever since the date. Unfortunately winter break was coming up or the "necessary evil" as soulmates would call it. The day before Christmas, the school was filled with sniffly hybrids and some even downright sobbing. 

"Why don't they just meet each other out of school? I swear, we're the smartest people in the whole school," Haechan exclaimed while nudging Mark with his elbow.

"I know right, we should be in the honors classes," replied Mark. Haechan suddenly stopped and turned around while clutching the latter's hands.

"I know tomorrow's Christmas and you're probably busy with your family, but is there any possible way that you could stay with me at my house? My parents aren't home this week a-and—,"

"Of course I'll stay with you," Mark cut off. He visualized him and Haechan cuddling under the fluffy blankets and falling asleep on top of each other while watching  _The Polar Express._ "Mark, you're burning up, are you ok?" Haechan putting his soft hands on his forehead did nothing to help stop the blood rushing to his face.

"I'll take care of you while you're with me," Haechan pouted. He didn't like it when his Mark wasn't well, or in other words, he was absolutely whipped for him now.

...

"Mark, can you stop eating the popcorn garland and actually hang it up on the tree?" Mark was caught red-handed while slowly taking a popcorn piece out of his mouth. 

"Ugh, just eat that one. You're disgusting." Haechan waved away as he walked towards the kitchen. Mark finished putting the rest of the garland up, with no saliva this time. "I'm going to go take a shower," he said. "Ok, just get down here when you're done, I need your help," Haechan said without looking up from his recipe book.

 

Mark rubbed his hair with a towel wrapped around his hips. His abs flexed as he put his shirt on and good thing Haechan wasn't here though, he probably would've fainted. Mark sniffed the air and the delightful scent of gingerbread wafted all the way from the kitchen to every corner of the house. Mark walked downstairs wanting to help with the baking but was stopped in his tracks as he took in Haechan's appearance.

He wore a light pink apron adorned with frills and bows all while hugging his delicious curves as well. This was what Mark wished to see in the future, a lifetime with Haechan, waking up in the morning and the first thing that he would lay his eyes on would be on his gorgeous face. Mark sighed dreamily, hoping to win his heart over so that that dream can become a reality.

An unsuspecting Haechan flinched when two lean but muscular arms wrapped around his waist. Mark tucked his nose into his neck, breathing in the delectable fragrance of strawberry and orchid. Haechan tried to not let the close proximity of their bodies not affect him, but he couldn't seem to concentrate on his whisking. He finally couldn't take it anymore and growled through his teeth, "Can you not?"

It came out harsher than he intended it to be, but Mark didn't seem to be affected assumed that it was just his personality. He let go and began mixing the bowl next to Haechan. The night was filled with his screeches as he tried to not let Mark burn the house down and the occasional peck on the lips.

 

(The next morning)

 

Waking up next to Haechan was like waking up next to god. Last night they tried to assign separate beds, not knowing that they both wanted to sleep together for fear that it might be too awkward. They settled on sharing the same bed but on different sides, but all of that didn't matter since they gradually clung onto each other leaving no space in between.

Haechan's tiny ears were tickling Mark's neck as he moved his head closer under his chin. Their arms and legs were wrapped around together, you couldn't separate them if you tried. Haechan stirred, and immediately felt like he was being watched. HE felt the other lean and kiss him on the head, oblivious that he was already awake.

"Did you just kiss me?" Haechan asked. Mark flinched so hard he couldn't sworn that he jumped six feet in the air.

"I-I uh...,"

"Could you do it on the lips this time,  _please_?" Haechan asked, stressing the please with a pout and shimmering eyes. Realizing that Haechan was more than eager, he placed a big fat smooch on his lips. Haechan pulled away with a disgusted face.

"I said kiss me, not transfer a mouthful of saliva." Mark laughed, and leaned in once more to give his loved one a proper, passionate kiss that left both of them breathless.


End file.
